Distribution of sequestered carbon in different pools in Alfisols under long-term groundnut system of hot arid region of India

Abstract

Soil organic carbon (SOC) pools are indicators of soil productivity and sustainability and provide valuable information on the pathways of carbon sequestration in soils. We analysed organic C pools of different oxidizabilities, labile pools like particulate organic carbon, permanganate-oxidisable C, and microbial biomass carbon in soils under a long-term groundnut mono-cropping system with different management practices. Among the treatments, 50% NPK+farmyard manure (FYM) maintained a proportionately higher amount of soil carbon in passive pools (48.3%) followed by 50% NPK+ groundnut shell (GNS) (46.7%), FYM (44.7%), GNS (43.8%), 100% NPK (40.6%), 50% NPK (38.3%) and the control (32.4%). Particulate organic carbon fraction was the most sensitive fraction upon application of the amendments. Carbon stabilized from GNS and FYM sources had a skewed distribution along soil profile with a ratio of 1.2:1.0:1.4 and 1.8:1.0:1.3 at 0–15, 15–30, 30–45 cm depth, respectively. A critical carbon input of 0.32 Mg ha−1y−1 was needed to maintain SOC level, and the rate of conversion of crop residue C into soil organic C was about 8.1% for the present study. Combined use of chemical fertilizers and organic manure was found to be the best for enhancing SOC sequestration in groundnut mono-cropping system under hot arid eco-regions in India.